Basket and cover therefor.



No. 673,985. 'Patented luly 23, 190|.

H. .L SITTERLY.

BASKET Ann cuves THEREFOR.

(Application med Nov. 21. 1900.)

(N o M o d e l Witnesses.

Inventor.

2 I .Niamey/ UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

HENRY J. SITTERLY, OF BROOTON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE PORT- VILLE BASKET OO., OF PORTVILLE, NEW YORK.

BASKET AND COVER THEREFOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 678,985, dated July 23, 1901.

Application lecl November 21, 1900. Seria-1 No. 37,265. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, HENRY J. SITTERLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brocton, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented certain new and 4useful Improvements in Baskets and Covers Therefoigof which the following is a specilication.

My invention relates to an improved cover for baskets employed to transport fruit or vegetables; and the object of the invention is to provide a basket of this character with a detachable cover which is fastened to the basket against horizontal or vertical movement and in such a manner as to prevent the sides of the basket from bulging or spreading from each other.

For a full understanding of the merits and advantages of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings and the following description.

The invention is susceptible to various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and to a full disclosure of the invention an adaptation thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a top plan view of my improved cover and basket. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on or about line a a, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detached top plan view of the cover.

In referring to the drawings in detail like numerals designate like parts.

My improvement is chiefly adapted for transporting wine-grapes, and the basket employed is preferably oblong in shape, having a bottom l, formed of a piece of wood of suitable shape and thickness, sides 2 and ends 3, of thin veneering or similar material, which are secured at their lower edges to the edge of the bottom and slope or extend outwardly from each other, and a top protecting and strengthening strip 4c, which extends around the top edge of the sides and ends. These parts are all secured together by staples or similar fastenings 5, and a strip of wood 6 isl fastened to the inner surface of about the middle of each side 2. To each of these strips 6 is fastened a flat strip of metal 7, which has its upper end 8 bent outwardly at substantially a right angle, substantially as shown in Fig. 2.

The cover is preferably formed of wood,and comprises the side bars 9, end bars 10, and cross-bars 11, which extend at intervals transversely across the space. between the side bars 9. Each of the side bars 9 has an inner depression or recess 12 at or near its middle, and in securing the cover to the basket the sides of the basket are sprung toward each other sufficiently to permit the passage of the horizontal upper ends 8 of the metal strips 7 through these depressions or recesses 12, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. After the cover is in place the pressure of the sides of the basket is removed, which permits them to spring back and resume their normal posia tion and brings the bent ends 8 into locking position over the sides of the cover, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1.

The sides of the cover project sufliciently beyond the basket sides to prevent other baskets or articles from crushing in the basket.

The upper portions of the strips 7 set in the depressions or recesses 12 when the basket and cover are in their locked assembled position and prevent any lateral or longitudinal movement of the cover on the basket, and the bent ends 8 project over the top of the cover and prevent vertical separation ,thereby locking the cover to the basket against release by any means save by springing 'the sides of the basket toward each other--something practically impossible when the basket is packed with fruit. In returning these baskets and covers the baskets can be nested and the covers tied up in bundles.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with a basket, a cover adapted to it upon said basket, of fasteners secured to the sides of said basket and having bent portions adapted to be sprung over the cover by the spring action of the basket sides.

2. The combination with a basket having metal strips provided with outwardly-bent upper ends of a cover `having inner depressions through which the bent ends of the strips passwhen the basket sides are sprung toward each other; the bent ends projecting over the cover when in place on the-basket.

HENRY J. SITTERLY.

Witnesses:

A. J. SANGSTER, L. M. BILLINGS.

IOO 

